Childhood Obesity Affects Mind and Body

How do you know if your child is considered “obese” and not just overweight? It’s a good question to ask in September, which is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. The answer lies in a measurement called BMI or Body Mass Index. Health practitioners use a special formula to calculate BMI – based on a child’s sex, height, and weight – to determine if a kid or teen is at a normal weight, is overweight, or has crept into that unhealthy territory known as obesity.

BMI is not the only factor a doctor will take into consideration, but it’s a good indicator and a starting point for discussion. So, getting a conversation started is good, but follow-up action is also highly recommended to try to get your child back to a healthy weight. That’s because being obese in childhood is associated with many risks, both physical and psychological.

Physical effects:

Kids who are obese are likely to remain obese as adults, facing serious health consequences throughout their lives.

Type 2 diabetes is a growing problem among obese kids. In fact, the number of kids who’ve developed Type 2 diabetes is 3 times what it was in the 1970s, demonstrating how big the problem of obesity’s grown here in the U.S.